After spending some time in the tentpole world directing “The Golden Compass” and “Twilight: New Moon,” director Chris Weitz has shifted gears for his next film, turning in a low-key drama that, from the first trailer debuted by 24 Frames, looks to be a winner.

Returning to his earlier roots of smaller-scale films like “About A Boy,” the forthcoming “A Better Life” (formerly known as “The Gardener”) stars Demian Birchir (Fidel Castro in “Che”) and follows the woes of an undocumented illegal worker as he tries to make a living for his family as a gardener. We really like the tone evinced in the trailer with the emotion coming through with a degree of honesty instead of sentiment. The performances look ace — José Julián as the son Luis could have a breakout performance here — and the film looks to balance a simple narrative with a complex issue.

The film hits on June 24th, and it looks like it will be a worthy alternate option from blockbuster fare right in the middle of summer. Check out the trailer below.